Europe & Eurasia

Britain Is No Longer America’s Bridge to Europe

By Charles Kupchan, the Council on Foreign Relations

From Charles Kupchan, the Council on Foreign Relations:  [T]he effort to reclaim the US-UK “special relationship” as the foundation of British statecraft promises to leave Britain in a geopolitical no-man’s land and marginalise its international influence. The UK will enjoy far greater sway over transatlantic and global affairs by becoming a leading voice within the […]

Statement by the Secretary General of NATO on Israeli Operation Against Ships Bound for Gaza

By NATO

From NATO:  [T]he North Atlantic Council (NAC) met for an extraordinary meeting to discuss the recent Israeli operation against ships bound for Gaza. There was an extensive exchange of views among Allies on all aspects of this tragic event. I would like to express my deep regret over the loss of lives and the other […]

The Balkans Deserve This

By Hillary Clinton, Catherine Ashton and Miguel Angel Moratinos; the Guardian

From Hillary Clinton, Catherine Ashton and Miguel Angel Moratinos; the Guardian:  On Wednesday the EU Spanish presidency will host a ministerial meeting in Sarajevo attended by senior leaders from EU member states, the western Balkans, the US, Russia and Turkey to reaffirm our shared commitment to the security of the Balkans

NATO, Police Fire Teargas at Protesters in Kosovo

By Reuters

Ukraine Will Not Join CSTO

By Interfax

From Interfax: Ukraine does not plan to become a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Hryshchenko told the 2000 newspaper. Ukraine has not and cannot be invited to join the CSTO because it ‘has made it absolutely clear that it is opposed to membership in any blocs,’ Hryshchenko said. […]

The Specter of Finlandization

By Ronald Asmus, the German Marshall Fund

From Ronald Asmus, the German Marshall Fund:  A specter is starting to haunt wider Europe — those countries located between the EU and NATO on one hand and Russia on the other. That specter is “Finlandization.” The return of this Cold War phrase reveals much about the changing spirit of the times and geopolitics of […]

Those Damned Sceptical Germans

By Charlemagne, the Economist

From Charlemagne, the Economist: Once again, Europe has a German problem. In its handling of the euro crisis, Germany’s government stands accused of weakness, indecision and populism. Pro-European Germans say that Chancellor Angela Merkel believes that theirs has become just another normal European country. They add ominously that this risks flirting with Euroscepticism, even nationalism. […]

EU Bail-Out Scheme Alters Bloc Treaties, says France

By the Financial Times

From the Financial Times: The eurozone’s €440bn debt guarantee scheme is tantamount to the adoption of a Nato-style mutual defence clause and marks an ‘unprecedented’ change to the bloc’s treaties, according to France’s Europe minister. In a Financial Times interview, Pierre Lellouche laid bare the French government’s conviction that the emergency stabilisation scheme agreed this […]